'Remedies' when pregnant WARNING

Just abandoned a work trip to.Europe halfway through as being 27 weeks and battling a rotten cold had utterly wiped me out. Whilst there, I went to a local pharmacy to ask if there was anything I could take for a sore throat while pregnant (my language skills are good enough to convey this without misunderstanding). The pharmacist thought for a bit before disappearing out the back and returning with a throat spray. When I got back to the hotel I checked what was in it. Ingredient number one? Belladonna... I'm no plant expert but even I know that this is deadly nightshade and not good in pregnancy. A quick google confirmed this and I went back to the pharmacy with it. The pharmacists answer was that 'it's natural so it's safe'. Since returning to.the UK I've found that homeopaths recommend this as a labour aid, definitely to be avoided at 27 weeks.

Just a word of caution to anyone heading beyond the UK to make sure you check carefully anything you might be given!

homeopathy is different to herbal medicine though. I would argue that any actual homeopathic remedy is safe in pg as it is only water but herbal medicine would not be necessarily as it has an active ingredient.

I have no idea whether it was homeopathic or not (i agree that these are so minutely concentrated!) The homeopathic reference was just something I'd found since getting back. Either way, not something I'd actively want to consume.

Lots of mushrooms are 'natural' but can still kill you. Just want to remind people that 'natural' is not synonymous with 'ok in pregnancy'

sparechange Sounds great though think I may be at risk of overdosing, is that dangerous?

If its homeopathic there is nothing in it to harm you during pregnancy, since there is nothing actually in it. If its herbal then surely no-one needs to be warned not to take random unknown concentrations of possibly deadly plant stuffs? I find it hard to believe you could buy any actual belladonna in any licensed pharmacy OTC in Europe though, since its incredibly toxic and easily fatal.

Homeopathic may be safe, but it is certainly not rigourously medically tested like the drugs that can be prescribed to pregnant women relatively safely. My doctor (in another European country) prescribed some homeopathic hayfever tablets and wouldn't give me ceterizine etc despite NHS website saying ok in pregnancy. When I looked up what she had given me, it said, not tested to be safe for pregnant women. Great! Even better, they don't work! So now I am taking bugger all and praying the sun doesn't shine so the pollen count stays low.